His pace and bounce will be a handy weapon for India in Leeds.
Hours before England host India for the first Test in Leeds, pacer Harshit Rana has been added to the squad for the five-match series starting June 20. Rana had travelled to England with the India A team. They played two practice matches against the England Lions for preparation ahead of the series.
The fast bowler will stay with the team as a cover for all five Tests. He featured in India A’s first unofficial Test in Canterbury and ended with figures of 1/27 as the game ended in a draw. This move by the Indian management will surely reinforce India’s pace batteries. One of the most important reasons for this decision could be that the pitch for the first Test at Headingly looks to be a green top, and a bowler like Rana could be a handy resource in those pacy and bouncy conditions.
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The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer was called up for the Indian team ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He impressed KKR’s then-coach Gautam Gambhir, who is India’s current head coach. The 23-year-old speedster + impressed the masses after he took four wickets in a span of two Tests with an average of 50.75. His best spell came in the first Test at Perth, where he scalped three wickets for 48 runs.
Overall, the fast bowler from Delhi averages 27.79 with the ball in 13 First-class appearances, having taken 48 wickets. Moreover, to India’s advantage, Rana averages 32.80 with the bat, which includes a century and two fifties.
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